Senator Fischer’s pick for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, is yet again proposing decisions which drastically hurt Nebraska’s public education system—as she discussed at last week’s Senate hearing about the proposed Education Department budget. This proposed budget slashes education dollars by $3.6 billion — about 5 percent — and would eliminate several discretionary programs, including one that covers teacher training and another that funds after-school activities for needy children.
“Nebraskans begged Deb. Fischer to not vote to confirm Betsy DeVos, but she ignored them,” said Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party. “Now, under Secretary DeVos’ and Senator Fischer’s watch, Nebraska’s classroom sizes will increase, student safety is at higher risk and teachers will not get the proper resources they need to teach our kids—all because Washington bureaucrats are making choices for our Nebraska schools, teachers and students,” Kleeb continued.
Consistently advocating to boost a voucher system at the expense of public education, Sec. DeVos and the administration’s education budget will strip billions of dollars used to fund critical resources for Nebraska’s K-12 public schools, colleges and universities, and other schools nationally.
“I’m not surprised, but it is disappointing to see more of the same from Fischer’s choice in Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Senator Fischer was unwilling to listen to her constituents when she had the option to vote against confirming Secretary DeVos–and now our Nebraska kids are suffering as we’re seeing the results play out in having a grossly unqualified Secretary of Education,” said Kleeb.
Read more:
Betsy DeVos’s Budget Proposal Included More Than $1 Billion On Private School Vouchers And Other School Choice Plans. “More than $1 billion would be spent on private school vouchers and other school choice plans under the budget proposal released Monday by President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The proposal also calls for slashing the Education Department’s budget and devoting more resources to career training, at the expense of four-year colleges and universities.” [Washington Post, 2/13/18]
DeVos Originally Sought $2.5 Billion To Support School Choice Initiatives, Including Private School Vouchers, But Office Of Management And Budget Rejected Her Request. “DeVos originally sought $2.5 billion to support school choice initiatives, including private school vouchers, but the Office of Management and Budget rejected her request, according to people familiar with the proposal.” [Washington Post, 2/13/18]
DeVos’s Proposal To Cut $3.6 Billion – About 5 Percent – From Education Department. “The proposal would cut $3.6 billion — about 5 percent — from the Education Department by eliminating several discretionary programs, including one that funds after-school activities for needy children and another that covers teacher training. It contains many of the same ideas that DeVos pitched in her budget proposal last year, large portions of which Congress rejected.” [Washington Post, 2/13/18]
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